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https://scmp.com/sport/china/article/3118290/chinese-owned-inter-milan-rebrand-appeal-foreign-fans China
Chinese-owned Inter Milan to rebrand to ‘appeal to foreign fans’
- Serie A title chasers to follow in footsteps of rivals Juventus with a new club crest, while changing name to ‘Inter Milano’
- Suning-backed club also reported to announce new Chinese sponsor to replace Pirelli from next season
Inter Milan’s Brazilian striker Ronaldo celebrates winning the Uefa Cup in 1998. The Italian side are reported to be changing their name and club crest, with shirt sponsor Pirelli to be replaced by a Chinese company. Photo: Reuters
Chinese-owned Inter Milan are set to rebrand in March with a new name and club crest, according to reports in Italy, plus a new sponsor to replace Pirelli.
The Suning-owned club will change its name from Football Club Internazionale Milano – as they are officially known – to Inter Milano, as the San Siro side are more commonly referred to internationally, Italian newspapers La Gazzetta dello Sport and Il Corriere della Sera reported on Monday.
The rebrand is intended to make the club more accessible to an international audience, it was reported, and the March announcement will coincide with the 113th anniversary of the club’s founding.
In addition to the new name, there will also be a new club crest, which will no longer feature the letters “FCIM”, as it has since 1990, and instead be based on the letters “IM”. There are leaked versions of a new badge being shared on social media.
This follows in the footsteps of their Derby d’Italia rivals Juventus, with the Turin side changing to their current, simplified crest in 2017.
Inter beat Juventus 2-0 on Sunday to briefly return to the top of the Serie A table before city rivals AC Milan moved ahead of them on goal difference.
This quelled calls for the board to sack head coach Antonio Conte, but the news of a rebrand is another thing for the fans to complain about, as many have online.
The club has reportedly not paid its players for several months and faces a possible points deduction if they cannot meet a deadline next month.
Chinese retail giant Suning, which took control of the club in 2016, is widely reported to be looking for outside investment in the Serie A giants.
Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku greets supporters after a game against Cagliari at San Siro in January, 2020. Photo: AP
It is reported that the rebrand will happen whether Suning remains in charge or new owners come in, with BC Partners said to be conducting due diligence ahead of a possible bid.
Another change is that the club is expected to end its deal with shirt sponsor Pirelli. The Italian tyre giant long held a financial interest in the club, owning a minority stake.
Italian media report that the shirt sponsor will be replaced from the 2021-22 season with an unnamed Chinese company in a deal worth €30 million (US$ 36.3 million) a year.
Several outlets suggest the new sponsor will be Guangzhou-based real estate company Evergrande. It is also the owner of Chinese Super League side Guanghzou Evergrande, who are soon to be renamed Guangzhou FC in line with new regulations banning company names in Chinese football.
Suning is also reported to be countersuing the English Premier League over Chinese television rights.